Steam-engine valve-gear



4 SheetsSheet 1.

J. D. OLDS.

STEAM ENGINE VALVE GEAR.

Patented June 2, 1885.

(No Model.)

Invent 707' M 6144/ vat 66S 19 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. D. OLDS.

STEAM ENGINE VALVE GEAR. No. 319,114. Patented June 2, 1885.

N. Prrzns. momha nlr. Wnhinglols 11c 4Sheets-Sheet 3. J. D. OLDS.

STEAM ENGINE VALVE GEAR.

Patented June 2. 1885.

(No Model.)

Fig.6.

4 shee ts -sheet 4.

(No Model.)

J.D.0LDS. STEAM ENGINE VALVE GEAR.

,114. Patented June 2, 1885.

Parsrvr JOHN D. OLDS, OF FORT XVAYNE, INDIANA.

STEAM-ENGlNE VALVE-GEAR.

C?EGIl?ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,114, dated June 2,1885.

Application filed Juno 1!), 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it in-(11y concern:

Be it known that I, J onw D. Guns, of Fort W'aync, in the county ofAllen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and use fulImprovements in Steam-Engine Valve- Gear; and I do hereby declare thatthe following specification, taken in connect-ion with the drawingsfurnished and forming a part of the same,is a clear,true,and completedescription of the several features of my invention.

The main object of my invention is to provide for the variable controlof asteam-engine valve by what is sometimes termed a dynamometrical orflywheel governor, in such a manner as will enable the governor by anunusually-limited movement of its weighted arms or equivalentcentrifugal devices to impart to the valve a wide range of movement, andalso to effect the closure of the steam-ports with great rapidity aftersaid ports have been promptly opened to their maximum capacity forreceiving steam, thus enabling an enginecylinder to be promptly chargedwith steam i. 6., without wire-drawing-for any predetermined portion ofits stroke, and to then have the steam promptly cut off, so that it mayoperate expansively for the remainder of the stroke.

In seeking the best rcsultsabalanced slidevalve should be relied upon,and I have de-v vised such a valve,which constitutes the sub-F jcct of aseparate application for Letters Patent, but which will be hereinaftersufficiently described for the purposes of this specifica.

tion. Although I prefer to use said balanced slide-valve, I do notherein limit myself thereto, because I am well aware that balancedvalvesot-hcrwise constructed can be employed with my governing mechanismwith more or less desirable results, and also that said mechanism can berelied upon for controlling any ,variety of valve which is capable ofbeing operated by means of eccentrics and a longitudinally-reciprocatingrod or bar, however this latter may be coupled to the valve.

My governing mechanism differs from any others of its class known to me,in that it involves the use of two independent but co-operatingvalveworking eccentrics, which are loosely mounted on the crank-shaft,and are capable of rotative movement in opposite di rections,althoughthey rotate in harmony with the crank-shaft, except when otherwisecontrolled by the governor, whatever its charac ter, and one weightedarm coupled to both eccentrics can be relied upon or two arms, each ofwhich is coupled to both eccentrics, or in lieu of weighted arms slidingballs can be employed. Between my eccentrics and the valve to be workedthereby is a complex rocker arm or lever with which the two eccentricsare connected in such a manner that, although said eccentrics areoppositely set on the engine crank-shaft, they operate harmoniously inimparting to one valve-rod more rapid reciprocating movements than have,as I believe, heretofore been obtained by the use of eccentrics, andthis portion of my invention is of value, independently of a fly-wheelgovernor, in which case the two eccentrics are capable of no rotativemovementindependently of the crank-shaft.

My improvements are applicable to engines of various styles and forgeneral service, although I have devised and organized them with specialreference to high-speed engines with a view to obtaining steadiness inoperation and economy in the use of steam.

After fully describing the mechanism illustrated, the several featuresdeemed novel will be specified in the several clauses of claim hereuntoannexed.

Referring to the four sheets of drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a planview of an engine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is apartial side elevation and vertical section of said engine, with itsily-whec'l shown in dotted lines for the better illustration of thegoverning mechanism, the crossh'ead, slide, and piston-rod being omittedfor more clearly showing my improvements. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is adiametrical section of the flywheel and the portions of thevalve-governing mechanism which are mounted upon it and the cranlcshaft. Fig. i, Sheet 3, is a longitudinal horizontal section of thesteam-chest and its valve. Fig. 5, Sheet 3, in two enlarged viewsillustrates a complex. rocking-lever which is coupled to the slide-valveand to the two eccentrics. Figs. 6 and 7 are separate side views offlywheels embodying certain portions of my govering mechanism in twodifferent forms.

The cylinder A, its piston, piston-rod, crosshead, pitmau, crank orcrank-disk,-and crankrocating valve-rod d.

; c and lifting-screws c and also with a bullring, springs, andringpacking, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

This balanced valve embodies certain novel features which constitute thesubject of a sep arate application for Letters Patent. The mostimportant matter to be considered in this connection is the fact thatsaid cylinder 0 is sufficiently large to include within its sectionalarea the entire portion of the valve-seat which is occupied by theinduction and the exhaust ports, which, in connection with the fact thatsaid balance-plate piston is positively supported by its lifting-screws,enables the valve to be very easily operated and very readily controlledby a governor coupled tothe recip- It is to be understood that, althoughI have thus describedsaid valve and propose to herein make claim to abat anced valve in certain combinations, I do not intend. to therebylimit myself to this particular valve, but mean to include as withinsaid portions of my invention any of the wellknown balancedreciprocating valves,whcther of the box, or the D, or the piston, or theoscillating Varieties, provided they are capable of being operated byeccentrics and a reciprocating valve-rod,organized substantially ashereinafter described.

As an essential element between the cranlc shaft B and the jointedvalve-rod d, I employ the complex rocker arm or lever E, which ispivoted at its base to the bedplate.of the engine, so as to be capableof rocking in a vertical plane toward and away from the'steamchest, andat a suitable point below its upper end it is provided with a lateraltubular bearing for receiving the rock-shaft of an auxiliary rockinglever, e, to the upper end of which the outer end of the valve-rod d iscoupled by 'means of a pin and strap-bearings in a manner well known.

Upon the crank-shaft B there are two eccentrics, F and G, which willbefirst described, independently of the governing mechanism,of whichthey are in one sense a part, and also independently of suchpeculiarities thereof as are essentially involved in connection withsaid mechanism. For present purposes I need only say that they aremounted side by side, but oppositely set or located on the shaft; or, inother words, they project therefrom in opposite directions, so as, whenrotated,to cause their respective rods f and g to be longitudinallyreciprocated in opposite directions. The rod f of the eccentric F iscoupled to the upper end of the main portion of the rocker arm or leverE,and the rod 9 of the eccentric G is coupled to the lower end of theauxiliary lever 6. Now, assuming the eccentrics to be re volving withthe crank-shaft, it will be seen that while the eccentricFis movingthevalverod f toward the crank-shaft the eccentric G is moving its rod 9away from the crankshaft, thus causing the lower end of the auxiliarylever e to be correspondingly moved, and its upper end and the valve-rodd to be moved toward the crank -shaft in harmony with the movement ofthe main portion of the rocker-arm as to direction, but at a muchgreater speed, and it will be obvious that as the eccentrics are furtherrotated they will cause a precisely corresponding rearward movement ofthe valve-rod and valve.

As thus far described, (it being understood that the eccentrics areproperly set with reference to the crank plate or disln) it will be seenthat the valve will not'only be moved to a greater extent than theextent of throw of either eccentric, but also moved much more rapidlythan would be possible with a single eccentric, and therefore theinduction-ports are promptly opened to their maximum capacity andpromptly closed at such predetermined portion of the engine'strolre asmaybe desired.

Although not fully shown, it is to be understood that the severalconnections between the ecccntricrods and the rockerarm may be madeadjustable in amanner well lrn0wnas, for instance, by means of slots,clamping-nuts, and studs-and that the foot of the rocking arm may bealso capable of adjusting movements, and also that the eccentric-rodsmay be capable of longitudinaladj ustment with relation to their strapswithout departure from my invention.

I am aware that two eccentrics have heretofore been employed with acomplex rockerarm in connection with two valve-rods for operatingrespectively a main valve and an overlying cut-oil valve; but I believeI am the first to organize two eccentrics and. a rocker-arm so as tooperate one slide-valve and enable the latter to be reciprocated withgreat rapidity, so as to promptly fill a cylinder with steam and then topromptly close after a desirable dwell of the valveat each end of itsstroke.

I am also aware that a single slide-valve has heretofore been coupled toa pair of eccentrics, one being within the other, and serving as avariable axis for the outer eccentric; but such eccentrics, whenconsidered independently of a governor which controls the innereccentric, would operate precisely the same as one ordinary eccentricinstead of as two independent but co-operating eccentrics as thusorganized by me.

I will now describe said eccentrics as when.

mounted so as to be controlled by a fly-wheel governor, and to thentherefore constitute a part of the governing mechanism.

.The inner eccentric, G, nearest the crank is integral with or may bemounted upon and IOU . I w W fl keyed or otherwise secured to one end ofa sleeve, h, which is so mounted as to be capable of freely rotating onthe crank-shaft, and at its opposite end said sleeve has secured theretoa two-armed lever, It, projecting radially in opposite directions fromthe sleeve. Between said lever h and the eccentric G the outereccentric, F, is loosely mounted on said sleeve, and to its outer face asimilar but longer lever, 43, is secured, which projects radially inopposite directions beyond its periphery, and is recessed centrally toreceive the lever h in substantially the same plane, as clearlyindicated. To these levers a governor is connected, so as to cause theeccentrics to be thereby rotated in opposite directions independently ofthe crankshaft, and said sleeve, the eccentrics, andtheir leversconstitute one portion of my invention regardless of the particularcharacter of the fly-wheel governor which may be em ployed therewith.These eccentrics may be both controlled by either of the weighted arms Hor H; but when only one of such arms is coupled to said eccentrics acentrifngal counterbalance weight should obviously be employed, andtherefore I prefer to employ the two arms, as shown. These arms, asheretofore in other flywheel governors, are pivoted to the arms of thefly-wheel, and are backed up by expansive adjustable spiral springs 7c,located near their pivoted ends. Each weighted arm is also provided withan adjustable stop, Z, radially movable on an arm of the fly-wheel. Eachof said weighted arms is pivotally coupled to both of the eccentrics asfollows: arm H by link at to the eccentric F, and by link a to eccentricG. The arm H by the link m is coupled to the eccentric F, and by thelink a to the eccentric G by way of their respective arms or levers tand h, as clearly shown.

The coupling of one weighted arm to two eccentrics I believe to bebroadly new, and'so also as to the two weighted arms, each coupled totwo eccentrics. It will be seen that either or both of said weightedarms by their swinging movements cause the eccentrics to be oppositelyrotated, and that the result thereof is to vary the time of closing thesteam-ports according to the speed at which the engine is operated. Itwill also be seen that there is a practically perfect balance ofstraining force, as between either weighted arm and the eccentrics, andthat therefore the movements of the governing mechanism will be smoothand easy, and that a comparatively slight rotative movement of botheccentrics independently of the crankshaft will result in a radicalvariation in the movement of the valve.

It is to be understood that while I make specific claim in certaincombinations to the one and the two weighted arms coupled by links tothe eccentrics, as described, 1 do not limit myself thereto, but broadlyclaim, under the main feature of my invention, the combi-. nation of thetwo eccentrics loosel mounted on the crank-shaft with any variety ofgovenor' mounted on and rotating with said shaft, however the one or twoweighted arms thereof or equivalent centrifugally-operated devices maybe coupled to said eccentrics, as I am well To illustrate other modes ofcoupling and other types of governor, I will next describe the mechanismillustrated on Sheet 4, Figs. 6 and 7.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the eccentric-levers it and iare in the form of toothed segments, and that the weighted arms H and Hare each coupled to said segmental levers. The eccentric G and sleeve71, before described, and its segmental toothed lever It are coupled topinions h, keyed upon the pivots o of both arms by the intermediategears h", loosely mounted on studs projecting from the arms of thefly-wheel. The eccentric F, by way of its longer segmental toothed levere', is coupled directly to segmental gears i, keyed upon the pivots ofboth weighted arms. Spiral springs 12 encircle the housings of the studs0, and have bearing at one edge of each arm, as clearly indicated; butsaid springs may be otherwise applied, if desired. With thisconstruction it is obvious that the vibratory movement of the weightedarms will impart to the levers h and i rotative movements, as beforedescribed, and that the'two eccentries will be in like manner oppositelyrotated.-

The value of the weighted arms and the simple links illustrated in Fig.2 will be all the more apparent on a comparison therewith of thecomplicated system of gearing illustrated in Fig. 6, and especially whenit is further considered that with such gearing more or less lost motionwill be inevitable, all of which is obviated by the directlink-connection.

To illustrate wherein certain portions of my invention are of value,even if the weight ed lever-arms are wholly dispensed with, I will referto Fig. '7, wherein the eccentriclevers h and 5 are coupled by theirlinks m m and n it directly to sliding balls g, which, as in some priorforms of governor, slide radially on rods extending from the hub to therim of the fly-wheel, whereby, as will be obvious, the two eccentricswill be controlled in a manner similar to that already described,Although this last-described construction can in some cases be reliedupon, the weighted arms, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, are deemedpreferable for obtaining the best re sul ts. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed, of the two independent valveworking eccentrics mountedloosely on the crankshaft, and a governor mounted on and rotating withsaid crank-shaft and coupled to said eccentrics, substantially asdescribed, whereby said eccentrics can be variably rotated by thegovernor in opposite directions.

2.The combination, with the crank-shaft, of a weighted arm, the twoeccentrics loosely mounted on said shaft, each provided with an arm orlever, and both connected by a link to said weighted arm.

3. The combination, with the crankshaft, of the two weighted arms, thetwo eccentrics, each provided with an arm or lever, and each connectedby links to both of said weighted arms.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of abalanced valve, a vibratory rocker-arm, a rocking lever mounted on saidarm, a pair of eccentrics oppositelyset on their shaft, coupled,respectively, to

the rocker-arm and to the rocking lever, and a valve'rod which connectssaid rocking lever with the valve.

5. The combination, with the governing" mechanism, including the twoeccentrics and J OHN D. OLDS.

Witnesses:

PHILIP F. LARNER, HOWELL BARTLE.

